In the kitchen and bath world, color is getting more and more popular. Just look at some of the latest faucets and tubs coming out in bold, beautiful colors that go far beyond the chromes and metallic finishes popular in the past few years.
These new offerings are intriguing consumers, who are incorporating pops of color into kitchens and bathrooms of all styles and tastes.
It’s a sign that color can be a truly unique element when incorporated into traditionally neutral spaces, and if that’s the case, why not start playing with color in the showroom itself?
Go Neutral or Go Bold?
In general, popular color palettes for showrooms are earthy with neutral tones- black, white gray and wood grain. To add in pops of color, a lot of showrooms play with plants, graphics and artwork around the showroom. It adds something special and provides that human touch that allows clients to feel a little more at home. Decorative objects like bowls and vases, or kitchen and bath accessories are also ways to add color that gives you the option to change things up with the seasons.
On the other end of the scale, there are showrooms going all out with color. Going this route means taking inspiration from European design, where color has been incorporated into retail design for years. If you’re targeting a younger crowd, using color is a good tactic as it is highly attractive. They love it not only because it really makes the products stand out, but also for the photo opportunities it provides; they love posting interesting photos on social media. If you are able to change this up frequently, color is a great option.
Use Color to Your Advantage
Color is a powerful emotional trigger and using the right tones can really put a buyer in the right frame of mind. On a large scale it can be overwhelming, so we like the idea of using color in special displays or smaller areas to cause strong emotional responses in your customers. It adds an element of the unexpected that can be really exciting from the buyer’s perspective.
Adding color allows you to play with color psychology. Reds, for example, convey excitement and passion while golds convey a sense of luxury. Typically, blue is the accent color of choice in showroom environments, since it is calming and reminds people of water. There are many other options, though. We especially like coral, teals and spa-like shades of green and blue, as they really set off the chromes, golds and whites that characterize decorative plumbing products.
A Balanced Approach
If you want to use color in the showroom but don’t want to paint the entire space, vignettes and color-blocked areas can really make a statement. Since these are smaller areas and surfaces, they can be painted as needed without having to redo the whole showroom. You can use these areas to showcase higher-end products or more avant-garde designs.
Ultimately, you want to use color to highlight products. It should never overshadow what you have on display. Color is there as a background that draws the eye and provides that extra pop to really spark buying interest in your merchandise.